The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, yesterday alleged the presence of saboteurs within the Nigerian military, implicating them in the Yelwata massacre in Benue State that claimed over 200 lives.
Recall that in May 2025, during a television interview, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum declared: “We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly. Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity”.
Speaking during a visit to Yelwata to assess the destruction caused by last Saturday’s attack, Musa disclosed that some military personnel have been betraying the army by leaking vital information to bandits.
“This is one killing too many. From here, I am going to see my commanders. We need to change our strategy, look inward, and see how we can address this. We can’t do it alone without the state; we need everybody to be part of it,” he said.
Musa further pointed out that the targeted nature of the killings and arson suggests insider involvement. “If you see the pattern of killings and slaughtering, it means there is an insider. As we were going round, it became obvious that the killing and burnings were targeted. I have discussed with the community and traditional rulers as well as clan heads for us to work in synergy. There have been issues of trust, but we are going to work on it,” he added.
This came as President Bola Tinubu adjusted his official itinerary, prioritising a visit to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, over his planned trip to Kaduna.
The decision follows the surge in violent attacks across rural communities in Benue, which have resulted in loss of lives, property destruction, and heightened regional tensions.
The Presidency announced that the visit, scheduled for today, underscores Tinubu’s commitment to fostering peace, promoting reconciliation, and finding lasting solutions to the protracted conflict in the state.
